New details have become available in the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Authorities are now saying at least 26 people are dead. Eighteen of the victims are children. The shooter, believed to be a 20-year-old man with an unknown connection to the school, is dead at the scene. It remains unclear if he killed himself, or if he was killed by responding officers.
No other details about the shooter or the victims are available. There is an unconfirmed report that a second shooter may have been involved. ABC news reports car searches are being conducted at the scene.
Connecticut State Police Lt. J. Paul Vance said there is no longer any danger to the public. "The shooter is deceased inside the building. The scene is secure," Lt. Vance said in a press conference. "Many agencies are working together to answer questions about what happened ... the public is not in danger."
The gunman opened fire shortly before 10 a.m. inside the main office of the school. His body was later found in a classroom and a .223-caliber rifle was recovered at the scene. Earlier reports indicated police had recovered a Glock and a Sig Sauer.
Sandy Hook Elementary has been evacuated. The children were taken to a nearby fire station.
At least three wounded people were rushed to Danbury Hospital for treatment. In a post on its Facebook page, the hospital said, “Out of abundance of caution and not because of any direct threat Danbury Hospital is under lockdown. This allows us simply to focus on the important work at hand.”
All Newtown schools are also on lockdown.
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